Funeral Directors Sentenced to Prison for Horrific Mortuary Neglect
Two funeral directors in the United Kingdom have been handed prison sentences after authorities discovered 46 corpses left to decompose in a warm mortuary facility. Richard Elkin, aged 49, and Hayley Bell, 42, operated Elkin And Bell Funerals in Gosport, Hampshire, where their shocking misconduct came to light.
Gruesome Discovery of Decomposing Bodies
Portsmouth Crown Court heard disturbing details about the state of the bodies, which were stored in an unrefrigerated room. Some corpses were found shedding skin, covered in maggots, and lying in their own bodily fluids. The temperature in one mortuary room was recorded at 11.48 degrees Celsius, significantly higher than the recommended 4 degrees Celsius for bodies kept longer than 48 hours.
Between June 2022 and December 2023, Elkin and Bell kept 46 bodies in these appalling conditions, with many remaining there for over 30 days. The grim discovery was made by High Court enforcement agents who were sent to repossess the premises due to unpaid debts. They found two decomposing elderly men, prompting a full investigation.
Heartbreaking Impact on Grieving Families
Thirteen devastated relatives provided emotional statements to the court, detailing the profound trauma caused by the defendants' actions. One son described carrying his mother's icy coffin and witnessing her body in a state of advanced decomposition. I saw it with my own eyes and smelt it in the air, he said. It is something I will carry with me for the rest of my life. This has meant I have never and doubt I will ever grieve the loss of my mother.
Another tragic case involved a mother who entrusted Bell, a friend of 23 years, with her baby boy who died just 11 minutes after birth. She was denied the chance to hold her child because his casket was sealed shut. A mother's last right to hold her baby was forever taken away, she told the court. I'm so disappointed I ever knew you.
Deception and Failed Improvements
The court heard that grieving families were falsely told that cremations had taken place. In one instance, an elderly man was left without a coffin for 36 days, while his family laid a wreath at Portchester Crematorium under the mistaken belief he had been cremated. In reality, his body remained at the funeral home.
Elkin And Bell Funerals had been investigated in 2021 and issued improvement notices. Instead of properly addressing the issues, the pair purchased an unsuitable refrigeration unit on eBay, failing to rectify the dangerous conditions.
Legal Consequences and Sentencing
Following a trial, Richard Elkin and Hayley Bell were convicted of multiple offenses, including:
- Intentionally causing a public nuisance
- Preventing lawful burial
- Trading with intent to defraud creditors
Elkin was additionally convicted of making and using a false instrument and possessing pepper spray. Both defendants were sentenced to four years in prison and banned from acting as company directors for seven years.
Andrew Eddy of the Crown Prosecution Service emphasized the severity of their crimes, stating, The pair abused their position of trust and robbed many of their one chance to say goodbye with dignity. Their actions were deliberate and caused deep emotional harm to dozens of families.
